What Should I Do if a Storm Floods My Home?

5/30/2023 (Permalink)

Every year several parts of the country experience flooding due to severe rain and tropical storms. If this happens to you there are several steps that are recommend by the CDC and industry professionals that you should take to keep you safe.

• Stop the water source if possible. If the flooding is caused by a burst pipe or a broken appliance, turn off the water supply to your house. If the flooding is due to natural causes, such as heavy rain or river overflow, you may need to wait until the water level recedes.
• Put on protective gear before entering your home. The floodwater may be contaminated with sewage, chemicals, or debris that can harm your health. Wear rubber boots, gloves, goggles, and a mask.
• Document the flood damage for insurance purposes. Take photos and videos of your home and belongings before you start cleaning up. Make a list of everything that was damaged or lost and keep receipts for any repairs or replacements.
• Use safe water for drinking, cooking, washing, and cleaning. Floodwater may be polluted with bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemicals that can make you sick. Boil tap water before using it or use bottled water if available.
• Throw away unsafe food that may have been exposed to floodwater or spoiled due to power outage. This includes food in cans, jars, boxes, bags, or containers that have been damaged or opened; perishable food such as meat, dairy products, eggs; and food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture.
• Clean and dry your home as soon as possible to prevent mold growth and further damage.  Contact SERVPRO to remove and discard any drywall, insulation, carpeting, mattresses, pillows, stuffed toys, or other porous materials that were contaminated with floodwater or sewage. Use fans, dehumidifiers, or air conditioners to speed up the drying process. Disinfect all surfaces with antimicrobials. 

SERVPRO ERP - Emergency Ready Profile

4/29/2021 (Permalink)

On average 50% of businesses close down following a major storm or natural disaster. Of the surviving businesses, research shows that the majority of them have an Emergency Ready Profile (ERP) in place in preparation for uncertain times. Creating this plan in advance will give your clients and employees the peace of mind knowing that you’re ready for whatever may happen. In addition, by developing a SERVPRO ERP, you greatly minimize the amount of interruption (if any) following a disaster. This plan will explain exactly what to do and what is expected in order to mitigate and help minimize water and fire damage in your business.

• •A no cost assessment of your facility.
  This means there is no need to allocate funds, giving you a great value at no cost.
   
• •A concise Profile Document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency.
  It will only take a little time to complete and will not take you away from current projects. But it will save a lot of time and money if/when it is needed.
   
• •A guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster.
  This can help minimize the amount of time your business is inactive by having an immediate plan of action.
   
• •Establishes your local SERVPRO Franchise Professional as your disaster mitigation and restoration provider.
  You can rest assured that you have a disaster remediation & restoration team that is recognized as an industry leader and just one phone call away.
   
• •Identification of the line of command for authorizing work to begin.
  This saves time so we can begin the work of mitigating the damage which can save you time and money.
   
• •Provides facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information.
  Having a quick reference of what to do, how to do it and who to call provides solutions in advance of an emergency so that during the emergency you are ready for whatever happens.

How to Survive San Diego Winters

12/17/2020 (Permalink)

San Diego Winters

Those living in San Diego are used to sunny skies and warm temperatures. What happens when our beautiful San Diego turns into a stormy city? That’s where we come in to assist you.

Here are some tips on how to prevent the outside rain from coming inside your home:

• Check your roof for any leaks or cracks.
• Make sure your doors and windows are sealed shut.
• Be aware of what is surrounding your house. Any trees that could possibly be knocked over during high winds and crash into your home. If possible, cut any branches that might be at risk of falling off trees.

Here at SERVPRO of Santee/ Lakeside, we will answer any questions you may have about how to prevent storm damage to your home. Just give us a call at (619)258-7200.

Storm Preparation

12/11/2020 (Permalink)

Car stuck after Hurricane Sally 2020

According to noaa.org, 98% of all presidentially declared disasters are weather-related and will result in around 650 deaths and nearly $15 billion in damage per year. The first step to becoming ready for severe weather is understanding the types of hazardous weather that can affect your location. Checking weather forecasts and subscribing to emergency alerts in your area are other ways that you can stay in the loop. Putting together an emergency kit and determining the best evacuation plan for your home and business can give great peace of mind and a head start in case of emergency evacuation or lockdown.

Whether your concern is tsunamis, tornadoes, blizzards, or hurricanes, you can keep SERVPRO in mind for when the time comes that you’ll need water damage meditation and building restoration. Call SERVPRO of Santee & Lakeside at (619) 258-7200 with any assistance regarding water, mold, fire or smoke damage.

Storm Preparation

10/30/2020 (Permalink)

Car stuck after Hurricane Sally 2020

According to noaa.org, 98% of all presidentially declared disasters are weather-related and will result in around 650 deaths and nearly $15 billion in damage per year. The first step to becoming ready for severe weather is understanding the types of hazardous weather that can affect your location. Checking weather forecasts and subscribing to emergency alerts in your area are other ways that you can stay in the loop. Putting together an emergency kit and determining the best evacuation plan for your home and business can give great peace of mind and a head start in case of emergency evacuation or lockdown.

Whether your concern is tsunamis, tornadoes, blizzards, or hurricanes, you can keep SERVPRO in mind for when the time comes that you’ll need water damage meditation and building restoration. Call SERVPRO of Santee & Lakeside at (619) 258-7200 with any assistance regarding water, mold, fire or smoke damage.

Are You Prepared for Winter Storms?

10/16/2020 (Permalink)

Storm caused tree to fall on Lakeside home

Rain storms in San Diego are generally very mild, however you never know when disaster will strike. When this disaster comes upon people, they are sometimes unprepared for such a harsh winter and the severe damage that rain storms can cause.

During rain or lightning storms, trees can fall on houses, cars, or power lines. 

In the above picture, a tree fell on a Lakeside home causing not only damage to the foundation, but also allowed for an entry point for water. Our team quickly removed the tree and managed to save the wood floors using our drying techniques.

We can prepare, but unfortunately, disasters and accidents are inevitable. Because of that, SERVPRO of Santee / Lakeside is here with 24/7 emergency service to respond to your Storm, Water, Fire, Cleaning & Restoration needs! Give us a call at (619) 258-7200!

Be careful what you wish for - Rain damage

10/2/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians use water dehydration fans to dry out water-damaged drywall

Here in California, we all wish for rain until we actually get it. Then we suffer the consequences of the heavy rain we receive, whether it is accidents on the freeway or flooding in our houses. Our homes suffer some of the worst damage from the rain.

For instance, this house had a leaky roof which caused water to damage the entry room and living room carpet, drywall and the header above the front door. The crew was quick to remove all the affected baseboards, insulation and drywall. The team then used the proper drying equipment to effectively dry the affected materials.

At SERVPRO of Santee/ Lakeside, we can help any of your stormy weather needs. Give us a call at (619) 258-7200 for any assistance you may need to get through these rainy times.

Winter-Proof Your Rain Gutters!

8/30/2020 (Permalink)

Throughout this fun-filled summer, the last thing on your mind are the winter storms just on the horizon. As we head into fall, we should set aside time to clean our gutters and prepare our home for the upcoming rainy season. Unkept gutters can cause water damage to the roof, walls, and foundation. In addition, it creates the perfect atmosphere for mold to flourish and pests to build homes. 

To clean your gutters, you’ll want to carefully set up a tall ladder on level ground. Then, you can use an old rag or small shovel to scoop the debris from the rain gutter. After all visible debris is removed, run a hose down the rain gutter to flush away any excess dirt and debris. This step will also show if you have leaks in your rain gutter.

While we can prepare our home to the best of our abilities, unfortunately, accidents and disasters are inevitable. Luckily, SERVPRO of Santee / Lakeside is available 24/7 to assess and repair your emergency storm or water damage. Call us at (619) 258-7200 for any storm, water, fire, cleaning & restoration needs!

The Importance of Drainage Maintenance

6/22/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians use dehydration fans to dry flooded and water damaged drywall in San Diego home.

Sometimes houses don’t always have the perfect drainage systems. This can cause flooding inside the house, even if the flooding originates in the backyard. Water that comes from outside the house inside is considered sewage water due to how contaminated it can get.

On this property, the constant heavy rain caused the backyard to flood because the drain system could not keep up properly. This, in turn, caused the bathroom to flood, affecting the walls and tile floor. Our crew jumped into action, removing the affected material due to the contaminating water damaging the inside of the bathroom. They set up dehumidifiers in hopes of reducing some of the disaster.

Call us at (619) 258-7200 to fix those pesky drainage problems. That is why SERVPRO of Santee/ Lakeside is here, to help our loyal customers

Prepare Your Family with an Emergency Plan

4/30/2020 (Permalink)

Disaster can strike at any time, but do you have an emergency evacuation plan for your family?

There are four main steps to create a plan and prepare your household for the worst. The first step would be to assess potential disasters in your area - forest fire, earthquake, floods. Next, you’ll want to have a plan regarding how you’ll receive alerts and updates. If this will be done on your phone via news reports, you’ll want to invest in an external battery or car phone charger. You’ll also want to develop a meeting point with your family members, especially for young children who may not have a phone. In preparation for disaster or emergency, your children should also have you or another adult in your household’s phone number memorized in case the family is separated and unable to meet at the designated meeting point. Finally, you’ll want to put together an emergency kit that can be easily grabbed or even stored in your car (see the blog post “Emergency Checklist” for more information).

In the next emergency or disaster you face, you can be there for your family and SERVPRO of Santee / Lakeside can help repair your home damage! Give us a call at (619) 258-7200 for any storm, water, fire, cleaning & restoration needs!

Emergency Checklist

4/29/2020 (Permalink)

Living in beautiful San Diego can sometimes give us all a false sense of security that emergencies won’t happen. Disasters such as fires, earthquakes, and storms can strike at any time and it’s so important to be prepared for evacuation with an emergency checklist! 

Whether you have young children in your family or not will drastically affect your emergency supplies checklist. For example, if you have a young baby, you’ll need to be sure to pack formula and/or baby food for your child. Otherwise, your basic emergency kit would include bottled water, spare batteries, flashlights, vitamins & prescriptions, nonperishable foods, personal hygiene items such as toothpaste and hand sanitizer, and a basic first aid kit. 

In the next emergency, you can focus on caring for your family and SERVPRO of Santee / Lakeside will focus on repairing your home damage! Give us a call at (619) 258-7200. We’re here to help!

Unusual Weather

2/27/2018 (Permalink)

Rain, Rain...

We are blessed by the San Diego weather, it's been unusually cold but we don't have to worry about thunderstorms like in other parts of the country. 

The death toll rose to at least five on this past Sunday after severe thunderstorms swept through the central U.S., spawning a tornado that flattened homes, gale force winds and widespread flooding from the Upper Midwest to Appalachia. 

The widespread flooding often because a major problem for any structure.  Our team always has the resources to assists with water and mold remediation.